Routine
by Rel
Summary: A series of drabbles revolving around Shino and TenTen while they're on a diplomatic mission together.
1. Chapter 1

Routine

Summary: A series of drabbles revolving around Shino and TenTen while they're on a diplomatic mission together.

(In this fic they've just started out from Konoha and are camping on their way to their destination)

Dedicated to: The Shino/TenTen FC on Naruto Forums (We're currently holding a fanfic, fanart and AMV contest so if you like this pairing please check it out ( .?p=21930146#post21930146 )

She talks in her sleep.

Its only four days into their long mission but he's already started to wish he'd brought earplugs. Mostly it's barely discernable gibberish that passes her lips but he finds himself straining to pick out words, to try and make sense of the nonsensical. It's annoying.

More than that she _flails_ in her sleep, often catching him with an unexpected clip around the head when he's dozing off. This is a diplomatic mission so he hadn't given much thought to getting injured but he really didn't think he'd have to be concerned about his teammate giving him a black eye.

And worst of all to Shino...she has no sense of personal space in her sleep. Many mornings he's woken up to find her head tucked peacefully onto his shoulder, her legs thrown over his in an intimate way that horrified him. He always detached her as quickly and steathily as possible but when she'd awoken first she didn't seem embarrassed or even suprised to find herself curled around him.

'Sorry, I know I have a tendancy to move about in my sleep,' she shrugged it off, disappearing out of the tent to wash in the lake leaving Shino to glare at the tent flap and wonder why she was making it feel like he was making a big deal over nothing.

Forget the ear plugs, he's starting to wish he'd brought another tent.


	2. Chapter 2

Routine

Summary: A series of drabbles revolving around Shino and TenTen while they're on a diplomatic mission together.

(In this fic they've just started out from Konoha and are camping on their way to their destination)

Dedicated to: The Shino/TenTen FC on Naruto Forums (We're currently holding a fanfic, fanart and AMV contest so if you like this pairing please check it out ( http : // forums .narutofan. com/ showthread .php? p=2 193 0146 #post 219 301 46 )

He can't cook.

For some reason she can't even explain to herself TenTen finds this deeply amusing and were their food not rationed she felt could quite happily watch Shino battle with the cooking fire every evening.

She doesn't think it's because she's mean enough to like watching him fail, more that... she likes to see the unnervingly cool Aburame Shino get a little flustered. To show a little honest to goodness human fallibility.

It obviously annoys him that he cannot master something so basic. The furrow on his brow becomes deeper, his lips set into a hard straight line and his movements become tense and jerky so unlike his normal fluid strength. This of course only worsens the situation and she feels pressed to intervene when he accidentally dumps half their dinner into the fire. Amusement is all well and good but she was still pretty hungry.

'Here,'

He looks at her with a mixture of curiosity and annoyance as she covers his hand with her own and pulls the pan so it's not directly on the flames anymore.

'You want to keep it higher, you're burning it. And move it around a little.... like this.' she gently pressures his hand into swishing the food in the pan around so it sticks to the bottom a little less. Shino is concentrating fiercely on the food but she notices what she thinks is a slight blush on his cheeks. Or maybe not, maybe it's just reflected firelight.

After-all it seemed doubtful someone like Aburame Shino would blush over a simple touch.


	3. Chapter 3

Routine

Summary: A series of drabbles revolving around Shino and TenTen while they're on a diplomatic mission together.

(In this fic they've just started out from Konoha and are camping on their way to their destination)

Dedicated to: The Shino/TenTen FC on Naruto Forums (We're currently holding a fanfic, fanart and AMV contest so if you like this pairing please check it out ( http : // forums .narutofan. com/ showthread .php? p=2 193 0146 #post 219 301 46 )

'No.'

She's got her hands on her hips and she's glaring at him but he stands his ground.

He can simply not allow her to do this, possibly her normal teammates are such moral degenerates it would not bother them but Shino is a gentleman and he can simply not allow her to.

'You will sleep fully clothed. As normal.'

Slumping down onto her bedroll she pulls at her collar, groaning,

'But it's too _hot_. And it's not like I'm sleeping naked or anything, I'll keep my damn underwear on okay?'

There's a distinct whine to her voice that he's noticed means she's really tired and a fine sheen of sweat on her brow that indicates the reason for her fatigue. The heat does not affect him personally, he is perhaps mildly warm at midday in the current tempuratures but that is all. TenTen however seems to be suffering quite badly, her moods have become gradually worse and she's started to snap at him for just about everything. She barely sleeps more than an hour a night and she tosses and turns even more than usual.

Shino sighs.

He can see if he allows this to go on it will begin to affect the mission and their newly fledged comradeship. What she's asking is really not so shocking, anyone but him would probably not bat an eyelid.

Or there are some, he thinks gritting his teeth, who would jump at the chance.

'Look Shino, I just can't _take_ this. I'm exhausted, I'm baking hot, I'm sticky and my clothes feel like their clinging to my body and it's so _uncomfortable_.'

She groans deeply, pulling at the white top that is indeed, he notices with a flush, sticking to her rather closely. Carefully fixing his eyes back on her face he see's the pleading look there, the hint of desperation that came with total sleep deprivation.

'Fine.'

The sunny smile that splits her face does little to alleviate his annoyance as he turns his back on her and picks up his bed roll.

'Hey...what're you doing?'

She looks genuinely bewildered and he frowns, wondering what type of person she thinks he is.

'I am moving my bedroll outside. I do not wish to sleep on the ground.'

With a (very melodramatic he thinks) groan she flops back into her pillow.

'Shino, you're a complete.....'

'Gentleman.' he supplies, knowing full well it's not the word she's looking for.


	4. Chapter 4

Routine

Summary: A series of drabbles revolving around Shino and TenTen while they're on a diplomatic mission together.

(In this fic they've just started out from Konoha and are camping on their way to their destination)

Dedicated to: The Shino/TenTen FC on Naruto Forums (We're currently holding a fanfic, fanart and AMV contest so if you like this pairing please check it out ( http : // forums .narutofan. com/ showthread .php? p=2 193 0146 #post 219 301 46 )

'It's cooler tonight.'

She throws it out there casually but she is watching him closely for his reaction.

As usual there doesn't seem to be one. He's methodically washing their cooking instruments in the small stream a few feet from their tent, to all intents and purposes ignoring her.

May as well cut to the chase then.

'So will you be back sleeping in the tent then?'

He pauses, tensing.

It's strange how she's missed his presence the past few nights, missed the slightly odd routine they've fallen into (which consists of him going over the mission documents until she complains the light means she can't sleep, of him going to sleep as far over the opposite side of the tent as possible, of her waking up pressing up against his comforting bulk and seeing his familiar annoyed blush)

She finds herself hugging her pillow in lieu of Shino now but it's simply not the same. He is bizarrely comfortable (far more so than Neji or Lee. Neji has bony shoulders and Lee has an annoying habit of drooling in her hair) and she misses him. When he sits down next to her, she catches herself before she can lean into him well aware her habit of casual touching annoys him.

'...I may.'

'Well you should....it's weird to wake up and not have you telling me off for not sticking to my side of the tent.' she elbows him playfully in the ribs, trying to make him blush again. It's become a bit of a game to her, she likes those little confirmations that yes Shino is human and yes she can get under his skin if she really wants too.


	5. Chapter 5

Routine

Summary: A series of drabbles revolving around Shino and TenTen while they're on a diplomatic mission together.

(In this fic they've just started out from Konoha and are camping on their way to their destination)

Dedicated to: The Shino/TenTen FC on Naruto Forums (We're currently holding a fanfic, fanart and AMV contest so if you like this pairing please check it out ( http : // forums .narutofan. com/ showthread .php? p=2 193 0146 #post 219 301 46 )

The dangers of having an attractive female with a nightly obsession with draping herself over him in her sleep really hit home to him about three weeks into their trip. He's started sleeping in the tent again after his spell of sleeping outside and TenTen seems to be making up for his absence on the previous nights by keeping an even tighter hold on him.

However much he might try and deny it, Shino is still a teenage boy. And therefore he is occasionally held accountable to his hormones.

Hormones which have rather incovienantly decided to notice that TenTen is in fact an extremely attractive specimin of the female gender.

So now _he's_ the one who is having trouble sleeping, as she's managed to curl herself around him in such a way her every movement is brushing against an increasingly sensitive spot.

He stares straight up at the seam of the tent, mentally cursing that he cannot control his body. What kind of ninja is he? he thinks angrily, if he cannot have complete control over every aspect of his person?

Moaning a litle and muttering something inaudible, TenTen shifts again burying her head in the side of his neck and pressing against his body in a way that causes him to bite back a moan of his own.

To make things worse she's started to mutter his name more and more frequently in her sleep and he can't help but speculate exactly why...

_Damn._

For the third time that night he tries to detach her, only to be foiled when she makes a petulant sound and tightens her grip around his neck. He's pretty much certain if he tries much harder to remove her she will accidentally strangle him so he resigns himself to one extremely long sleepless night.


	6. Chapter 6

Routine

Summary: A series of drabbles revolving around Shino and TenTen while they're on a diplomatic mission together.

(In this fic they've just started out from Konoha and are camping on their way to their destination)

Dedicated to: The Shino/TenTen FC on Naruto Forums (We're currently holding a fanfic, fanart and AMV contest so if you like this pairing please check it out ( http : // forums .narutofan. com/ showthread .php? p=2 193 0146 #post 219 301 46 )

OMG The wonderful Eight-Days has done fanart for this fic- please check out her comic of chapter one at http :// eight-days-a-week .deviantart. com/ art/ Routine-1-120808821

He had come noiselessly up behind her and settled his jacket on her shoulders as she sat outside their tent staring dreamily into the sunset.

When she looks up in suprise, a question on her lips, he beats her to the punch

'Why did I do that? You were shivering.'

Settling himself down beside her, he too stares out at the spectular sunset in quiet appreciation.

She leans against him, feeling him stiffen and pull away. Sighing, she wonders why he does that. Didn't his teammates _ever _casually touch each other in friendly ways? The idea is a little weird to her because, well, she was from Team Gai, the team of Excessive Hugging (whether you wanted them or not), the idea of personal space didn't _exsist _in her team.

Determindly she frees an arm from his oversized jacket and loops it around his, resting her chin on his shoulder. The sunset is glorious but it's difficult to concentrate on when you're leaning against someone who's sitting so straight you'd swear they'd inserted one of the tent poles somewhere _really_ uncomfortable.

Forget his teammates, didn't his _family_ ever casually touch? Maybe they were like Neji's clan in that too much physical affection was seen as lower class and a sign of bad breeding. She'd always thought that was pretty ridiculous and a sign the Hyuuga clan needed a good swift boot in the...

_ahem._

Maybe it was because of the bug thing. She can understand some people might have a weird phobia about bugs and therefore touching someone like Shino would be nerve wracking for them so maybe there wouldn't be a whole lot of volunteers to be touchy feely with the Aburame. But surely not everyone could be bothered by it? She wasn't in the slightest, it was just another bloodline trait after-all.

Maybe....

Maybe he just didn't _like_ being touched.

This one causes her to bite her lip worriedly. Because if it's any of the others it's okay but if he just hates being touched then...

Well then she's being a horrible teammate and an even worse friend.

Oh well, one way to find out.

'Hey Shino?'

He turns his head to look at her, his eyebrows raised slightly in a questioning way.

'Do you mind?'

She gestures to hold she has on his arm, cheeks going a little pink.

For a long moment he just stares at her hand but then, suprisingly, he closes his own over it.

'No.'

She smiles up at him and is pleased to see the corners of his lips turn up, ever so slightly.


	7. Chapter 7

Routine

Summary: A series of drabbles revolving around Shino and TenTen while they're on a diplomatic mission together.

(In this fic they've just started out from Konoha and are camping on their way to their destination)

Dedicated to: The Shino/TenTen FC on Naruto Forums (We're currently holding a fanfic, fanart and AMV contest so if you like this pairing please check it out ( http : // forums .narutofan. com/ showthread .php? p=2 193 0146 #post 219 301 46 )

OMG The wonderful Eight-Days has done fanart for this fic- please check out her comics of chapter one and two- http :// eight-days-a-week .deviantart. com/ art/ Routine-1-120808821

He had moved to help her up a ledge on the mountain they were scaling (ridiculous really, he knows, she's a kunoichi she doesn't need his help but he helps her nonetheless).

His hands were supposed to steady her around the waist but at the last minute she'd shifted and his hands had ended up....elsewhere.

For a moment neither of them had moved, both frozen with embarrassment. Then Shino had coughed and adjusted his grip to her waist, repressing the urge to simply drop her and back hastily away.

Now after they have finished the climb they're walking on in silence, which is not unusual but there is a tension in it which is.

He feels mortified, unable to even bring himself to apologise because to apologise would be to.... mention it again. To remind her he had ... touched her inappropriately without her consent.

Even if it was accidentally, it was completely unforgivable.

What's more the memory of how...nice that paticular part of her anatomy felt isn't helping his recent hormone surge. He has a sinking feeling he will be getting even less sleep than normal tonight.

After a few hours of this he can tell she's getting annoyed. Her attempts at starting a conversation have fallen flat and now she's simply shooting him more and more pissed off looks.

'Oh knock it off Shino!'

She reaches over and unexpectedly grabs his butt firmly through his trousers, leaving him gaping.

'There, we're even! We've both inappropriately groped each other. You can stop feeling so damn guilty now.'

He just stares at her, torn between horror and...a strange warm admiration.


	8. Chapter 8

Routine

Summary: A series of drabbles revolving around Shino and TenTen while they're on a diplomatic mission together.

(In this fic they've just started out from Konoha and are camping on their way to their destination)

Dedicated to: The Shino/TenTen FC on Naruto Forums (We're currently holding a fanfic, fanart and AMV contest so if you like this pairing please check it out ( http : // forums .narutofan. com/ showthread .php? p=2 193 0146 #post 219 301 46 )

OMG The wonderful Eight-Days has done fanart for this fic- please check out her comics of chapter one and two- http :// eight-days-a-week .deviantart. com/ art/ Routine-1-120808821

'Shirt. Off. Now.'

He eyes her warily and if she hadn't been so worried she would have laughed at the apprehensive look on his face.

'I am fine.'

She shook her head, folding her arms. The male pride thing doesn't work on her, she has two ridiculously prideful teammates who often have to be physically forced to accept assistance. So she knows a false reassurance when she hears one.

'You're not. So... _Shirt.'_

Holding a hand out she raises her eyebrows, hoping she's clearly indicating that if he doesn't just give her the damn shirt she _will_ take it by force. He just stare's back at her with furrowed eyebrows and this expression that she can't quite decipher. Shino's expression's are all so annoyingly similar most of the time.

Maybe he wasn't used to people not being intimidated by him. Not backing down to him.

Well _tough_.

Grudgingly, and with far more slowness that was really nessacery even if he _was_ injured, he pulls the garment over his head. With annoyance TenTen notes the wound is even worse than she had expected it would be.

Really, she would have thought Shino was above this male pride bullshit.

Unscrewing the lid on the medical salve, she glances up and notices him pointedly avoiding her gaze. More than that she notices the spreading blush on his cheeks.

Ah.

So maybe it hadn't been a male pride thing after all.

Coating her fingers with the ointment she delicately smears it along the deep gash in his side.

'I can do that myself.'

'Unless you can bend your elbow ninety degrees in the wrong direction I somehow doubt it. Now shush and stop being a baby..'

His mouth snaps shut, a tight line in his face and she knows she's going to pay for that little dig in hours of pointed silences and frosty looks.

She accidentally touches a spot low on his back that isn't injured and is amused when Shino sucks in a quick breath, his cheeks turning a even deeper shade of red.

It's wrong but she's feeling a tad vindictive for how he made her worry today (going off and taking care of the bunch of rogue ninja who decided to attack them all by himself, not even _telling_ her, stupid arrogant bastard, really him and Neji should start a support group....) so she puts more pressure on it, her fingers working in a soft caressing motion.

'TenT-en.'

There's a definate break in his normally stoic voice and she fights the urge to crow in triumph.

'Yes Shino-_kun_?' she puts delibrate stress on the honorific she normally never uses, her voice practically a purr.

'I am aware you are angry at me. But I believed this form of torture to be below you.'

He manages to sound annoyed, embarrassed, reprimanding, apologetic _and_ scared all in the same breath and she can't help it.

She bursts out laughing.

'You know I think you're the only guy who would equate a girl giving him a massage with torture.'


	9. Chapter 9

Routine

Summary: A series of drabbles revolving around Shino and TenTen while they're on a diplomatic mission together.

Sorry for the delay guys _

Dedicated to: The Shino/TenTen FC on Naruto Forums ( http : // forums .narutofan. com/ showthread .php? p=2 193 0146 #post 219 301 46 )

OMG The wonderful Eight-Days has done fanart for this fic- please check out her comics of chapter one and two- http :// eight-days-a-week .deviantart. com/ art/ Routine-1-120808821

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When they reach their destination Shino is shocked and a little unnerved to find he has grown used to having Tenten's company all to himself. That he does not wish to share her conversation, her smiles, with others.

This, of course, is slighly problematic given that they are on a diplomatic mission.

He internalises his annoyance, contenting himself with looking as ominious as possible whenever a member of court, or a fellow visiting ninja gets too friendly with his teammate. It disturbs him to realise how people seem to be drawn to her, how _men _seem to be drawn to her...and how much it bothers him. How slighted he feels everytime she chooses to talk to someone else.

It is not unusual for him to feel his exclusion by others keenly, he has been accused of 'sulking' over it by Kiba numerous times, but there is a difference to this. Something small, but not quite insignificant.

He puzzles it over as they go through the dreary rigamarole of diplomacy, through several meetings with the elderly disgruntled daimyo and well into the small party it is insisted upon they attend. The fact he has been staring at her for the entire day doesn't seem to have been entirely lost on Tenten as she has taken to shooting him questioning looks and absently rubbing at her cheeks as if expecting to find something there.

While they are attending the party his annoyance reaches new levels as one paticular visiting Mist nin whisks his teammate off to secluded corner and keeps her there. A large part of his brain is insisting he go over there, do something to 'rescue' her but he is afraid of what it might mean if he did... so he contents himself with glowering moodily at the stocky man's back.

As her companion looks away briefly, Tenten catches his eye and pantomimes a 'kill me now' gesture, rolling her eyes dramatically at the Mist nin's back. Shino edges a little closer, unsure about whether she means him to step in or not... and their conversation comes into earshot...

'....well muscles aren't everything and appearences are decieving. For example.'

In one swift move she has the overly bulky Mist nin flat on his back, one knee keeping him trapped there, using his own weight against him. It is an impressive move and several of the surrounding party goers break into sponteanous applause. She bows as much as the hold she has on the increasingly irate man beneath her will allow and then her eyes meet Shino's, sparkling with amusement.

She winks at him and he suddenly cannot get rid of the rather appaling suspicion that he might love her.


	10. Chapter 10

Routine

Summary: A series of drabbles revolving around Shino and TenTen while they're on a diplomatic mission together.

This one.... was weird to write. It might seem a bit of a quick jump into romance but really that's down to Shino _totally _misinterpreting Tenten's actions.

Dedicated to: The Shino/TenTen FC on Naruto Forums ( http : // forums .narutofan. com/ showthread .php? p=2 193 0146 #post 219 301 46 )

OMG The wonderful Eight-Days has done fanart for this fic- please check out her comics of chapter one and two- http :// eight-days-a-week .deviantart. com/ art/ Routine-1-120808821

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Tenten finds she cannot sleep properly now she's in a proper bedroom. It's too cold, too big and too lacking in Shino. It seems utterly bizarre but she _really_ misses that tent.

And for that reason she sneaks into his room.

For quite a long time she simply stands there, breathing as quietly as she can, watching his still form on the bed, feeling idiotic for being here but not really able to leave.

Eventually, when her extremities start to feel slightly numb from the cold, she sighs and turns to the door.

She is brought up short when he catches her wrist. Encircles it with his warm, strong fingers. Turning around she see's he is sitting up, the coverlet pooled around his waist. His face betrays nothing – no emotion. "You can stay," he says quietly.

TenTen doesn't move for a moment, his hand still on her wrist. Then she bits her lip and slides down into the bed, curling herself up next to him with a sigh. His hand is shaking slightly when he releases her. Is he angry? Embarrased? Annoyed at her presumption? Cautiously, TenTen rests her head on his shoulder. His body tenses noticeably, and she wonders if she is being too forward, after-all normally she didn't invade his personal space until they were both asleep. But he doesn't push her away. He doesn't say anything. His hand eases around her body so he is effectively holding her against him.

This was....different somehow and she can't believe she can feel so nervous after they've spent the previous month sleeping the same tent.

'Shino?'

'Yes.'

'Are you asleep?'

She wince's as the words leave her mouth, realising how stupid a question it was. He turns his head slightly so it is facing towards her on the pillow and she is sure he is thinking her an idiot. Grinning sheepishly, she hopes it is too dark for him to see how much she is blushing.

'You are agitated. I assumed your reason for coming here was to sleep.'

Biting her lip, she looks down.

'If.... you had other reasons....' Shino has his gaze fixed on the ceiling now and he appears to be chosing his words extremely carefully '...then I would not be adverse to that.'

Did he mean...?

The hand he has wrapped around her back is tentatively moving in a delicate stroking motion, long fingers drawing aimless patterns on the square of skin between the tops of her pyjama bottoms and her t-shirt, causing little sparks of sensation to dance across her skin.

'TenTen....'

Without thinking she puts her fingers to his lips to forestall whatever he is about to say but he just continues.

'...I had an ulterior motive in allowing you to stay here.'

As he speaks, his lips brush against her finger, causing her face to burn an impossible shade of red before she jerks her hand away.

His face is closer now and she can see his nostrils flare slightly as he breathes slowly in and out. Her eyes flicker between his mouth and those damn shades he wears even in bed. She thinks something must be showing in her face because suddenly his demeanour changes- the hesitant slightly shy Shino seems to disappear before her eyes, being replaced by someone infinitely more sure of himself…

'I find I have....grown used to your presence at night. And that I now....desire it.'

'Oh.'

She knows the word- does it even qualify as a word?- is woefully inadequate but she can't seem to say anything else. His presence is making her vaguely light-headed and when he backs off she allows herself to feel relief – only to find herself rolled onto her back a moment later, with Shino on top of her .

Their lips meet, his pressing briefly against hers with a gentle aching longing that makes her heart squeeze painfully. When he pulls back, she exhales- a shaky, disbelieving sound and wonders what the hell is happening, when things had shifted so much between her and Shino.

"Wh-what are you doing?" she asks, breath rushing out of her again as he trails small, perfunctory kisses across her cheek and down her neck.

"I...do not know," he murmurs, seeming quite intent on his task. His lips against her skin are sending strange little pulses of pleasure racing down her body and she thinks that now would be a really good time to stop this before she forgets why she's supposed to.

'Shino please... _stop it_.' Tenten gasps out, pushing him away and scrambling off the bed.

It feels painful to watch how the hope slides from his face, and she feels like she has slapped him, betrayed him somehow but she needs to get away from him, from this sudden confusing _thing _that has risen between them. He reaches out as though to touch her, then falters at the last moment. She doesn't think she has ever seen him look so vulnerable.

'Shino...I-I'm sorry.'

As she turns and runs back to her own room, she has to fight to keep the tears from her eyes.


	11. Chapter 11

Routine

Summary: A series of drabbles revolving around Shino and TenTen while they're on a diplomatic mission together.

I'll get back to the comedy side soon folks, I promise.

I just wanted to see them argue ;)

EDIT: Okay frankly..... 'anna' (I'm presuming you're 'addd' and 'aja' who also left similar reviews on my other fic) I will NOT delete this fanfiction/make it Nejiten/stop writing because you tell me I suck and that it's awful. If anything you're encouraging me to write more ShinoTen, so I suggest you stop your counter-productive reviewing now. kthxbye.

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He fully expects her to avoid him the next morning.

In fact he is mentally preparing himself to accept any excuse he is given as to her whereabouts- 'Ah Tenten has decided to defect to the Akatsuki? Very Good.' 'Tenten has decided to take an impromptu trip to Suna to get in some tanning? That is fine.'

So he is extremely suprised when he opens his door shortly after dressing to find an irate kunoichi inches away from him. Her eyes are somewhat bloodshot and he feels a stab of remorse over the fact she has obviously not slept.

'....good morning.'

He decides the best thing to do is to be polite but distance himself, so he carefully sidesteps around her and begins to make his way down the corridor.

Only to be stopped when a bo-staff smashes into the wall inches from his nose. Hm, he would have to be more observant, he didn't even hear her go for her scrolls...

'I do not believe the daimyo will be happy with your treatment of his wall. And need I remind you, we are forbidden from drawing weapons inside the household.'

He turns his head marginally, runs his gaze along the bo-staff over the white knuckled hands that grip it and up to her flushed angry face. And for a second he wonders what she will do if he kisses her again right now...

Probably break his jaw.

'I don't care,' she snarls and her eyes flash rather dangerously as she draws back the bo-staff and slams it down onto the floor, causing yet more property damage.

He is reminded very strongly of exactly why he hates acting on impulse and why he should have listened to his voice of reason last night. And why, even past the rather bruised ego and possibly broken heart he is suffering, he still feels strangely glad he didn't.

'Shino...'

She is obviously waiting for something...an apology for last night.

Shino frowns.

'I will not apologise.'

Her look of frank disbelief causes a little spark of anger within him and he turns fully toward her.

'I believed, from the way you had behaved during our trip here, that my attentions would be reciprocated. Perhaps I was mistaken but that does not change the fact I am not the only one at fault.'

'The way I _behaved_?'

He thinks he may well have phrased that rather badly but pushes on nontheless.

'Yes.'

She closes her eyes briefly, anger and something else he can't identify flitting across her face.

'It was just... playful flirting. But when you kissed me last night... that wasn't playful or light or anything that was a _serious_ kiss, Shino.'

'I am rarely anything but.'

The silence drags on and he knows she is watching him, waiting for him to say something but he can't think of anything that would not be redundant. The expectant look in her eyes is....strange. She is still angry, he can see that but there is something else there

'Perhaps you should sleep, I am aware of the fact tiredness tends to make you irrational.'

It is a testament to his reflexes that he is able to avoid the crushing blow that lands where his head had been seconds before. A strangled cry leaves her lips as she whips around and attempts again to land a hit.

He catches the staff on his forearm, feeling the pain of the blow radiate up and down his arm.

'You don't understand at all do you??'

Tenten pulls back, jerking out her scroll and resealing her weapon before storming off down the corridor, slamming her feet down so hard he is suprised not to see the floor cracking under them.

She pauses briefly, looks back over her shoulder.

'For the record...I didn't come here for your apology. I came here to apologise to YOU for running away.'

It is strange, he muses as she slams the door behind her, how much hope that one sentence gives him. That maybe, just maybe, he hasn't ruined this strange thing between them. And that even though it might not be as easy as he had hoped, perhaps he is not just wasting his affection on her.


	12. Chapter 12

Routine

Summary: A series of drabbles revolving around Shino and TenTen while they're on a diplomatic mission together.

I...don't know if I like this but I procrastinate with posting it anymore then I know this little series will die and never get updated.

Over on the Shino/Tenten FC we're running a fanfiction contest ^__^ The theme is 'winter' and there are prizes avaliable for the winners- I'm going to try and post a link to the details in my profile but you're welcome to contact me directly to find out more as well :D The contest is open to anyone and we'd really like people to give it a go, get some more ShinoTen fic out there :).

Tenten is very tired.

Tired of avoiding Shino, tired of the unceasing annoyance that is thrumming in her veins, tired of wishing she'd behaved differently when he kissed her.

But mostly she is just....._tired. _

A good night's sleep has become a thing of the past and every time she looks at herself in the mirror she thinks she looks more and more haggard. The other visiting shinobi and even members of a daimyo's court have started to go out of their way to avoid her as word about her short temper and unfriendly attitude obviously gets around. Either that or her bloodshot eyes really do look as scary as she thinks.

It's not her fault that she is verging on exhaustion the entire time. No, somehow in some undefinable, basic way.... this is all _Shino's _fault.

Exactly how it's Shino's fault she has become unable to sleep she's not quite sure, the specifics (much like most of the details her exhausted brain is trying to store) are hazy... all she knows is she misses him badly, it's messing with her head and that it's _all_ his fault.

She misses his constant presence, his understated sense of humor, his reliability. She even misses how hard she had to work for his acknowledgement, for that slight turn of his head towards hers as she spoke, the slight tilt of his lips when she said something funny. Everything slight, everything subtle but still all the more fulfilling for how hard she had to work for any reaction... and god she misses it badly.

He looks understandably wary when she marches up to him on unsteady legs, after all she had nearly brained him with her bo-staff last time they spoke. It shifts from wariness to slightly alarmed when she decides to grab him by the collar and slam him into the nearest wall. It is a weak effort, she knows that, the wall doesn't even crack where he hits it. Her arm is shaking slightly from the effort.

He can probably break out of this if he wants to, her hold on him is that damnably weak, but for some reason he allows her to pin him against the wall.

'You are exhausted.'

His voice sounds chiding, exasperation tinged with concern and it makes her hand clench tighter where it is fisted into his coat.

'Shut up! It's.... your fault...'

Her legs start trembling and she blinks in an effort to keep her eyes open. Waves of exhaustion roll through her, causing her entire body to loosen momentarily before she gains control of herself. Because she has to....do something.....

Her knee's buckle and Shino catches her mid-fall.

He picks her up carefully, weathering her weaker than normal but still bruising blows with little more than a long-suffering sigh and begins to carry her towards her room.

'You were supposed to come after me,' she murmurs, slurring her words through somehow numb lips.

'I'm sorry,'

'Thought you weren't apologizing..'

''Hn.'

'You're a bastard.'

'Just as you say,'

'And I don't need you to carry me.'

'Indeed.'

'You're humoring me aren't you?'

'Yes.'

'....Bastard.'


	13. Chapter 13

Routine

Summary: A series of drabbles revolving around Shino and TenTen while they're on a diplomatic mission together.

Sorry it's short guys, been lacking inspiration lately.

Over on the Shino/Tenten FC we're running a fanfiction contest ^__^ The theme is 'winter' and there are prizes avaliable for the winners- I'm going to try and post a link to the details in my profile but you're welcome to contact me directly to find out more as well :D The contest is open to anyone and we'd really like people to give it a go, get some more ShinoTen fic out there :)

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Shino is having a slight dilemma.

Tenten is now asleep in his arms, head tucked peacefully onto his shoulder, arms wound around his neck. He of course feels grateful that she is sleeping and not, for example, beating him to death with the many weapons at her disposal.

But she is a dead weight in his arms and he's beginning to feel a dull but insistent ache in his shoulders as he searches fruitlessly for her room. Apparently she has switched rooms, or been moved, since they had their.... misunderstanding. A rather grumpy and suspicious looking Mist diplomat had answered the door when he'd attempted to open it and had been unable to tell him where she has been moved to...

Of course, the logical course of action is to take her back to his own room.... but he somehow thinks that once she comes around Tenten will not be pleased to find herself back at the 'scene of the crime' as it were. And of course once she is rested, she may still feel the need to inflict injury on him.

Even if she wasn't insisting that he apologise, that didn't mean she wasn't still angry.

She murmurs something garbled about rivers and chakra, her lips brushing against his neck and his own lips thin as a shiver races up his spine. Why couldn't she just be like all the other women he knew? Who ignored him or treated him as a brother? Why had she flirted and teased and not been afraid of him? Why had she made him feel this strange unfamiliar curiously exposing feeling....

With a sigh, he gives up and turns towards his own room.

It is difficult to open his door while not disturbing Tenten but he eventually manages it, placing her gently but gratefully on his bed before attempting to straighten up.

Ah. He'd forgotten quite how....vice-like her sleeping grip could be.

He attempts to pry her hands from around his neck but with his usual lack of success.

"Stay..."

The word is murmured and he jerks his head down to look at her. Her eyes are still shut, her breathing still regular, there seems to be no indication she is actually awake other than the fact her sleep talk, for once, made some sort of sense.

Perhaps he is just hearing what he wishes too.

Nevertheless he slids down next to her with a sigh, thinking slightly angrily that he is hopeless and foolish and completely lost.


	14. Chapter 14

Routine

Summary: A series of drabbles revolving around Shino and TenTen while they're on a diplomatic mission together.

My computer decided to eat this the first time I wrote it and the second time I wrote it, it just.... changed for some reason. Tenten's a whole lot less angry than she was origanally.

Over on the Shino/Tenten FC we're running a FANFICTION CONTEST ^__^ The theme is 'winter' and there are prizes avaliable for the winners- there's a link to the details in my profile but you're welcome to contact me directly to find out more as well :D The contest is open to anyone and we'd really like people to give it a go, get some more ShinoTen fic out there :) Come on guys pleeease give it a go!

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Tenten wakes up and for a moment everything is normal.

Because Shino is here, his breath on her forehead, his body heat against her making her feel uncomfortably warm, her left arm made numb where it has been trapped under his head.

But it's ... different somehow.

Keeping her breathing as regular as possible so as not to tip him off to the fact she's awake, Tenten tries to figure out what's wrong, what's changed...

Then she realise's it.

He's _holding_ her.

In the two months they have spent camping, she has never once awoken to the sensation of Aburame Shino holding her. Normally he has his arms clamped tightly by his side and as much of his body turned away from hers as possible. She had always seen it as him making a definite statement that her attentions were most definitely not welcome...

Well until the other night.

She draws in a sudden breath, her cheeks flushing slightly in embarrassment (or what she hopes is embarrassment) as she remembers it. Then she shakes her head slightly, as if trying to dispel the worrying, intriguing, utterly confusing memories. Now is not the time, not really...she'll figure it all out soon but...not now.

The anger is still there after-all, it's not gone away just receded to coil eel-like in her stomach. Anger about his apparent lack of understanding, about how he apparently doesn't think she was worth tracking down, worth arguing and fighting for. If he'd come after her...told her he liked her, wanted her.... _something_ it would have all been okay. But he keeps on his mask all the time, seeming so cold and indifferent and giving up just because she pushed him away _once. _

At first she'd given him the benefit of the doubt, presumed he was giving her space to work out her feelings but after a few days she'd realised he was just avoiding her.

Insufferable idiot.

He has obviously gone to great pains to make sure their sleeping arrangements stay innocent because while he is stretched out next to her, his body is on top of the blankets that cocoon hers. And they are both still full clothed, with the exception of shoes and headbands.

But he is holding her...

When he wakes up or when she admits to being awake they will have to deal with everything, with the hurt feelings and the misconceptions they have managed to form about each other. But for now she will lie here and just enjoy the heavy feeling of Shino's arms around her. She will pretend that the future doesn't exist, that they can simply stay like this.


	15. Chapter 15

I had ALOT of difficulty with this one and it had to be completely rewritten. I'm not that fond of it but... this little series is going to die if I leave it much longer so... here you go.

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A skilled shinobi can tell a persons state of consciousness in a single glance, can pick up those tell-tale signs that give away when a person is only feigning sleep.

Therefore, Shino is very much aware that Tenten probably knows he's awake and is choosing to ignore that fact in the same way he is choosing to ignore the tell-tale flickering of the muscles around her eyes that show she is as awake as he. Of course, the very fact she is lying quiet and still is as much a give-away as anything... a truly asleep Tenten would probably have been accidentally hitting him in the face and muttering indistinguishable nonsense.

It is nice and a little strange to be able to lie together like this. Relaxation is a luxury shinobi are rarely afforded, so to lie here with his mind drifting and Tenten curled in his arms... is a moment he decides to hold onto.

Settling a little more comfortably back onto his futon, he looks down at her, taking full advantage of the dark glasses that hide his eyes. Her eyes are screwed up a little too tightly to be natural and a faint sheen of sweat is apparent across her brow... his room is rather too warm for it to be comfortable for her.

"You know, I think we've missed our meeting with the daimyo."

Her voice is muffled by his coat and the blanket, and he feels a stab of regret the moment is broken. Taking a quick glance out the window, he notes the golden quality of the light and realises she is right... they have doubtless missed their bi-weekly meeting with the daimyo. Who will certainly not be pleased.

"Yes."

It is strange how little he cares about that at this moment. Normally the thought of the bad report the daimyo might turn in would at the very least annoy him... he never liked to fail on even the minor details of missions. Perhaps it will annoy him later. But right now.. this seems more important.

"I'm still angry you know."

The words seem to sound the death toll for their snatched moment of peace. Tenten sits up and he lets his arms drop away from her, falling by his side like they are lead weights. She pushes sweat dampened hair from her eyes as she looks seriously at him, legs still tangled in his covers.

"I expected that you would be."

He says with a little reluctance, noting that she looks more sad than angry at the minute. It is strange but he thinks he prefers her looking angry to looking this.... defeated.

"Are we still... friends?"

His question is asked with even more reluctance and it hangs heavy in the air between them

"No."

The corners of his mouth pull abruptly downwards and he drops his gaze. Tenten's hand shoots out and restrains him before he can move away.

"...we're something else. I'm just not really sure what it is or how I feel about it. And I still don't like you very much at the minute, because you ignored me for two _straight_ _weeks_."

"Do I have your permission to...try and convince you of my sincerity?"

She tilts her head to one side, studying him seriously before dropping her head sharply.

A nod.

Permission....that is more hopeful than he had been expecting certainly.

It is a second chance and Shino will be certain not waste it.


	16. Chapter 16

It is strange how easily they fall back into routine, without it even being discussed.

From the moment they reach their tentative understanding, Tenten sleeps in Shino's room on most nights. If, for some reason, she does not show up then he will gather up his sleeping apparel and make his way over to hers where she will have left the door open for him.

Tenten thinks that maybe they don't talk about it because they have no real reason to sleep in each others arms like this. They haven't agreed to be lovers, or partners or anything more than friends... so if they are forced to examine this strange relationship too closely maybe it will shatter beneath the pressure of their attention.

Still, whatever the reasons or the motivations she is happy with this new arrangement as it means she can now get a decent nights sleep and actually enjoy sleeping in a proper bed before they are once again forced back into the tent for their return journey to Konoha.

Which is something that looms ever closer... their replacements have shown up and after a few days of briefing them Shino and Tenten will be heading home.

What exactly is going to happen to this strange thing between them when they reach home is another matter. She can't really see the Aburame clan being too happy if she decides to sneak into their heir's bedroom every night.

"You're not sleeping."

Tenten doesn't look up as he speaks, just tightens her hold around his waist a little.

"How can I tell? You are not attempting to strangle the life from me, or expounding nonsense."

This earns him a poke in the side with her index finger, which he doesn't even bother to try and move away from. Instead he simply captures her hand in his and moves it to the opposite side of his body where it can do him no harm. Tenten huffs and makes a perfunctory effort to regain her trapped hand but soon settles back down, her head now pillowed against his chest. It is slightly.... distracting, because for the first time since they have started sharing a bed, Shino has forgone a shirt and the heat of his bare skin pressing directly against her cheek is....well.... _distracting. _

She wonders if he's done it deliberately.

"Are you perhaps preoccupied with our replacements? You did seem to be getting on well with them."

Pushing herself up, Tenten glares down at him through a tangled curtain of hair.

"Don't."

He raises his eyebrows in mock-confusion while she swipes at her hair, trying to push it out of the way.

She _has_ been getting along well with the two Konoha ninja sent to relieve them... because they were friendly people, two chuunin slightly older than herself and Shino- Tachibana Isamu and Yamaguchi Minoru. Neither were from prominent clans or had particularly distinguished ninja careers thus far but they didn't need too really. Her and Shino have laid the framework for the diplomacy here...these two are just needed to keep things ticking over.

She suspects, however, that Shino's problem lies in the fact that Isamu has been particularly friendly towards her and that he is a rather attractive boy. Not ridiculously so but handsome enough, in a way that reminds her a little of Neji and a little of Uchiha Sasuke back in the days of the Chuunin exams.

"I mean it Shino, don't...."

There is a shriek from the corridor and Tenten has a kunai in her hand before she even fully registers it. She is at the door in seconds, flinging it open...

To find the other two Konoha ninja standing there, Isamu looking horrified while Minoru simply looks perturbed. The door to their rooms are thrown open and Minoru has a kunai in his hand as well. Tenten quickly scans the area but can see no enemy ninja ready to attack, nothing that would indicate the cause of the terrified scream.

Isamu looks up at them, his face drawn but embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you but... could've sworn there were these bugs... everywhere! And I just... can't stand them, I've got a really bad phobia- I'm sorry!"

He shudders and Tenten's shoulders stiffen as she feels Shino move out of the door of their room, coming to stand behind her.

"Perhaps you simply had a nightmare."

The two boys look across the hallway, obviously taking in Tenten's disheveled state and Shino's shirtless form, realising they both emerged from Shino's room and making.... assumptions.

"Bugs." she says flatly, refusing to blush or look away "What kind of bugs?"

Both of them look a little confused, as evidently this is not the most normal question to ask given the situation. But she doesn't really need to know the answer to it, she can draw her own conclusions.

Whirling around, she thwacks Shino open palmed on his chest, glaring at him. He looks down at her for a beat and then, as if he has only just remembered- "Ow."

"Oh can it, Shino! I told you not to get jealous!"

"Actually I believe you only told me 'don't'. You did not provide any specifics."

She hits him again and is satisfied that his wince of pain is actually genuine this time as she can see a red handprint forming on the pale skin of his chest.

The commotion has attracted the attention of the houses other occupants and so Tenten grabs Shino's hand hauling him back into the room. As she slides the door shut behind her, she gives the two boys a look she hopes says clearly 'Tell anyone and you die.'

Shino is waiting for her by the futon and, as she goes to hit him a third time, intercepts her hand pulling her against him.

"Don't even try it! I mean after that stunt in the hall do you really think..."

"I merely thought you looked rather cold. Perhaps we should return to bed."

As he pulls her down, she is still acting annoyed, slapping at his hands but they can both tell there is no real ire behind it. Real ire from Tenten tends to end up in injuries far more serious than minor bruises.

Perhaps she should be annoyed, it was a rather idiotic stunt just to 'stake his claim' on her.

"I didn't like him in that way you know."

Shino's hand is in her hair, working out the tangles in a very methodical way. It's a very lulling sensation and she finally lets him settle them down comfortably into the bed.

"I know. However he was obviously entertaining certain notions about you, that were best dealt with as swiftly and painlessly as possible. Admittedly hearing him shriek like a woman was an amusing bonus."

"That was almost a confession, you know."

Her head is buried in his shoulder, so she can't see his smile but she can certainly hear it in his voice.

"Almost."


	17. Chapter 17

Sorry for the long delay guys! This chapter was *really* difficult to write! _

"Green is not my colour."

Shino looks up to where Tenten is pulling the borrowed kimono off of her shoulders while simultaneously trying to scrub the heavy make-up from her skin. A difficult feat but she seems to be managing.

"I do not think that particular shade of green is anyone's 'colour'..."

She makes a face, dropping the offending garment in pile on the floor, now clad only in her nagajuban. As she wonders around the room, still absently wiping at her face she muses aloud on the exact colour of the discarded kimono- olive perhaps? sage?...

"...you know I think the technical name for it is 'hideous'," she concludes with a grimace.

Shino hides his not-quite-a-smile by pulling off the top half of his own formal wear, sitting down wearily on the bed. The banquet for their leaving had been an unexpected honour they had both had to endure graciously. Of course some of them had endured it with more grace than others.... Tenten had rather kicked up a fuss at the amount of make-up the women of court had forced onto her face.

He is inclined to agree with her on that point.... the painted, primped Tenten who looked like every other lady of court (though a lot less happy to be there) had un-nerved him slightly and he is pleased to note that now she has taken the make-up off she looks normal again.

Beautiful again.

It is a strange thing to admit that he finds her beautiful.... because he knows that she is not _technically_ so. Her chin is too pointed, her mouth too wide, her eyebrows too set and determined. She is too scarred and calloused and tough. But beauty is a very subjective thing and when she smiles at him...

"Is this thing see-through or something?"

He blinks.

"...excuse me?"

"You were staring."

"Oh."

Now that she's mentioned it, he finds himself uncomfortably aware of the fact that while her nagajuban is not actually transparent, it is thin and he can see the shadows of her skin through it... no details but the hint is enough that he finds his mouth suddenly dry. It is also rather clingy and somewhat shorter than anything he's seen her in before.

Shino takes in the scar on her knee, the silvery line running up her thigh until it disappears under the hem and wonders vaguely how she got it and how high it goes. He tilts his head, observing the interesting gap in the front that appears and disappears as she moves, alternately revealing and concealing the top of her breast bindings in a provocative way.

Tenten throws him a look then that is both teasing and hesitant, face flushing slightly.

He should stop this, he can see it is making her uncomfortably, they should both sleep...the start of their journey tomorrow would undoubtedly be taxing.

"Tenten....come to bed."

It comes out darker, lower than he intended. Less like an entreaty to get some sleep and more like a demand for....other activities.

Her hand slides into his and he automatically closes his fingers over hers as she kneels on the bed next to him.

He can't help thinking that after this they will be heading home, heading for a Konoha where she will have other people to take her attention, people with far more claim to her time than him. And this little thing they have will crumble and blow away like dust....

Shino leans his forehead against hers, smelling the rather abrasive perfume the others had doused her with, missing her untainted scent. He carefully folds her hand against his chest, holding it loosely so that she may pull away if she wishes.

Her eyes are heavy-lidded as she watches him, nervous but expectant and asks softly,

"What are you doing?"

The words sting a little in their familiarity but he does not pull back, instead reaching up to cup her cheek, moving closer.

"May I kiss you?" he whispers, noting the barely audible tremble in his own voice.

There is still trepidation in her gaze but her head tilts down in what could be a nod.

"...just a kiss." he assures her, murmuring it against lips that are already parted in expectation. He does not wish to rush her, to ruin this second chance, but equally he feels he cannot wait another moment.

He moves forward and presses small insistent kisses against her mouth, each lingering slightly longer.... trying to coax her into being the one to deepen them. After a moments hesitation she does so, opening her mouth to his. When they break away, breathing deeply, she whispers his name...

"Shino..."

He has never heard his name said like, didn't think his name could even sound like that. It spurs him on, encourages him to kiss her again more forcefully and eagerly than before...

Tenten sways against him and he automatically steadies her around the waist, feeling his hands slide on the silk of her nagajuban. Her arms go around his neck, tightening and pulling him down. He goes willingly.

All to soon he realises that if he does not pull back, he will be breaking his promise.

Tenten is lying underneath him, legs tangled in his and a rather dazed expression on her face. The remnants of make-up have been smeared across her lips and her nagajuban is askew, exposing her breast bindings. Feeling a blush heat his cheeks, he carefully fixes it mentally berating himself when his fingers linger in inappropriate places for just a moment.

"...you stopped."

Her words are slightly breathless and he swallows hard.

"Yes."

For a moment they are both still- suspended in the moment, in the possibilities, until Shino pulls back completely. It is too soon...for now he will just pleased that she kissed him back.

That this time she pulled him closer rather than pushing him away.


	18. Chapter 18

In her early teens Tenten had gone through a phase of reading romance novels.

She is aware of the fact that this would suprise many people, if she'd ever cared to make it known. Her reputation is of utter practicality and level-headedness but... at the time she'd thought of it as research. Her own forays into love had been depressingly...well...nonexsistant, at the time. The love in the books had been so _exciting_, so passionate, seemed so grown-up and so for awhile she'd enjoyed reading them secretly, usually disguised as taijutsu guides in case Neji or Lee spotted her.

Then, as always, her practicality had kicked in.

It had quickly become obvious, even to her relatively inexperienced thirrteen year old self that the love in those books was...well... not to put too finer point on it... ridiculous. The characters routinely decided they loved each other based on a few conversations and the fact they were both usually attractive to the point of flawlessness. Short, tanned, _ordinary_ Tenten had looked at the covers of picture perfect women swooning and wondered if that meant only women like that found love... busty, pale, blonde, perfect women who didn't have scars and callouses and split ends... if only the extraordinary deserved to be loved.

(She'd also quickly decided that is she had to act as silly as the women in those books to be loved then she'd die an old maid. Half the time they were supposed to be ninja but all they could do was stand there, scream and be saved when any sensible person would've had a kunai in the bad guys neck while he was busy monolouging...)

Right now she is remembering those romance novels with amusement because of the fact that last night had been sort-of romantic in a rather unexpected yet ordinary way. She wonders if she should be depressed or happy that something so everyday had been the most romantic moment of her life. No big displays, no fireworks, no ridiculous speeches... just a kiss that had sent shivers down her spine.

Shino hoists his bag higher as they make their way over the summit of the hill. They haven't talked much but Tenten finds she doesn't mind this. She briefly contemplates forcing him to hold her hand just to see his expression of annoyance but dismiss's it in favour of watching him out of the corner of her eye.

Shino is not exactly handsome, she thinks as she walks along next to him, but he's not hideous or anything. He's...well...she thinks she would probably call him attractive in an 'quirky' kind of way... she likes his crazy hair and the way his lips always seem to be slightly down-turned at the edges He looks about as far away from the bronzed muscle-bound incrediably flawless guys on the covers of her old romance novels as it's possible to get. He is so... _not_ perfect, too stubborn and quiet and annoying to be anywhere near it.

They are both so ordinary.

But somehow...she's sure she has the potential to love him.


	19. Chapter 19

It fascinates him to watch her sleep.

Even in unconsciousness her face is honest, feelings and emotions flitting clearly across it as she dreams. Right now she is frowning, a petulant pout pulling at her lips, looking for all the world like a disgruntled child. Shino brushes a light kiss against the furrow in her forehead, feeling a small thrill that he is...allowed to do that. To touch her. That she comes willingly, even eagerly into his arms... it is slightly shocking, unprecedented and...fascinating.

He wants to touch her all the time, not necessarily in a sexual manner (though the thought of doing just that is infinitely appealing as well) but just generally...the novelty of being able to touch another person so freely not having yet worn off. However he hesitates, waits for her to initiate the contact...constantly trying to suppress the feeling that this time, this time, she will decide he has gone to far, realise that she doesn't want for him to touch her.

However it has not happened yet, much to his surprise.

It is perhaps not an entirely good thing as he finds he is having trouble honouring his strict clan upbringing, knowing intellectually that even displaying the level of familiarity they are now would be frowned upon, thought unbecoming of an Aburame. And to do the things he quite badly wants to do with her...

It would be unthinkable. Shameful.

But it is surprising too him how strong desire actually is. It makes him forget all about the possible ire of his clan, makes him push aside the possibility of rejection, he even ignores the possibility she will leave him in the near future...it makes him carelessly live in the moment.

He runs a finger down the uncovered part of her arm, watches as goosebumps rise in reaction to his touch and she unconsciously bats his hand away, murmuring nonsense. He moves back slightly to see if she will perhaps roll away from him, put space between them.

Instead she sighs his name "Shino," and wraps her arms around his chest, burying her head in his neck. After a moments hesitation he awkwardly wraps his arms around her, gently stroking his finger along the curve of her neck.

It is a fascinating feeling...being wanted.


	20. Chapter 20

Sorry for the massive delay and the tiny update, universities been kicking my arse a little lately! Hope you enjoy! Quick thanks to innocent-rebel, who as always inspires me by writing kick-ass ShinoTen (and hopefully me updating this will make her UPDATE LOCKED! as I totally need my next fix of that awesome fic ;) ) and also to Fanwoman, whose lovely reviews inspired me to get this update done ^_^

"TENTEN!"

The ear-splitting shout is all the warning she gets before two green-spandex clad blurs collide with her unsuspecting self and engulf her in a hug so tight she can barely breath. Over her head she can barely pick out words in the incomprehensible babble of Gai and Lee letting her know how much they missed her.

"Hey! I just got back, let me at least get in the gates before you start!"

She has missed them too, she realises that with startling clarity as she let's them gleefully squish her in the Team Gai Group Hug of Doom.

Neji stands off to one side, a slight smile he's probably fighting to repress gracing his features and Tenten extracts an arm from the vice-like grip of the sobbing Gai and Lee, and latches on to his hand .

"Get in here Neji, I'm not enduring this alone."

With a show at reluctance he allows himself to be drawn into the circle and Tenten embraces him too.

"I missed you!" she exclaims, looking at each of them in turn, trying to make out if anything has changed in the past few months. Was that small scar on Neji's forehead new or had she just forgotten it? Had Lee gotten a little taller or was she just now realising how big he was? Had Gai's hugs always been this rib-crushing tight or had she simply grown soft in her time away from them?

Gai whisks them all off to Ichiraku, and Tenten let's herself fall back into the comforting familiarity of her role as teammate. It is almost a relief after the blurred boundaries with Shino to know exactly what is expected of her, to know how those around her will react and that they want nothing more of her than her presence.

It isn't until later when she is getting into bed in her cold and slightly musty bedroom that she misses him. She turns, rolling automatically to the right to make room for Shino, and all of a sudden it just... hits her that he isn't there. That she isn't even sure where he went after they hit the town gates.

Damn, he'll be all locked-up in the Aburame compound now, busy with his family...something she has no right nor reason to intrude upon. Well apart from the fact she finds it difficult to sleep now without his comforting weight against her back but she really kinda doubts his family would like to hear that as a plausible excuse for her dragging away the son they just got back...

She bunches pillows up against her back, and it helps her get at least a little sleep, but it's simply not the same.


	21. Chapter 21

Another tiny update but hey at least it was a little quicker _ There should be a more comprehensive update soon...we'll be getting into somethiing vaguely resembling plot again :o

Shino has always found there to be something vaguely indecent and tantalising about bare necks... he supposes it is because growing up in the Aburame compound everyone wore high collars, necks and the lower halves of faces were private things rarely seen outside of the intimacy of marriage. He remembers the first time he emerged from the compound, to attend his first day of the academy, feeling scandalised by the amount of skin that women in particular seemed to show.

Eventually it had become dulled to him, another inexplicable difference between the Aburame clan and the outsider world but on occasion he finds himself still slightly startled by the sights...

Tenten always wears her hair up, the nape of her neck exposed above her pristine white collar in a way the seems to Shino positively designed to drive him to distraction. It is perhaps off-set by her tendency to cover every other part of her body in a rather modest fashion. He wonders why it is the bare mid-drift of Yamanaka Ino or the almost indecent shortness of Haruno Sakura's skirt and short's combination cannot even compare in his mind to the elegant bare curve of Tenten's neck.

He is observing her now, noting the simple elegance of the way she tilts her head towards her teammates, laughing warmly at some joke one of them has made...and he tries to calm the kikkai seething in his chest.

Jealousy is an ugly emotion, and one Shino is well aware he is predisposed to. As a child, perhaps he was too used to commanding the unwavering attention of his father who, as a single parent, had been rather closer to his son than tradition normally allowed. When he was often pushed aside by his teammates, he generally felt the emotion rise up in an attempt to choke him... it wasn't correct to feel that strongly about something so trivial and he could rarely vocalise exactly how he felt to them but he felt it nonetheless.

He knows that to indulge in this petty jealousy was wrong, especially in the circumstance he finds himself in now. It is counterproductive. It is above all ridiculous... that Tenten should wish to spend time with the teammates she had not seen for months was natural, understandable. That she should talk with other men was inevitable, to wish her not to would make him as bad as the ancient daimyo's who rumour has it had locked up their wives. But...

She hasn't sought him out.

Hasn't contacted him, hasn't come to the Aburame compound to enquire after him. In fact, a mere week after they exchanged breathless kisses, she seems to have forgotten him entirely.

It seems to him as if a sheet of clear glass has been dropped between them, separating him from her invisibly but inevitably. She has gone back to her world, her teammates and he is left to stand in the dark, to watch her from afar.

Alone.


	22. Chapter 22

The bit about Tenten's background is pretty much my attempt to explain the fact that her, Lee and Gai are obviously inspired by China and Chinese culture as opposed to the rest of Konoha, IR helped me come up with it. It'll be expanded later on :)

"Look I just want to see Aburame Shino!"

Tenten glares at the door guard as he barely spares her a glance.

"Unless you have official buisness I cannot allow you into the compound."

Her fingers itch to pull out a scroll and release a hailstorm of weapons that would reduce this arrogant jerk into a smear on the wall. But that probably wouldn't be the best course of action if she wants to get back into Shino's good books...

Because for some reason she seems to be in his bad ones.

Since they returned from their mission two weeks ago she hasn't seen him once. Not one single glance of him... if she didn't know better she'd swear he was entirely a figment of her imagination.

And sure she knows he's probably busy with clan and team stuff so she'd let him be... but come on, two weeks? He had to have some free time for her by now.

So she's been reduced to hanging around as nonchalantly as possible outside the Aburame clan, arguing with the really condescending door guy.

"Look...we were on a mission together recently, I need to tell him something, can you _please_ just get him?"

Even behind the traditional Aburame get-up she can see the guy sneer.

"I'm afraid not."

Folding her arms, she glares up at him.

"Why?"

"I'm afraid I don't believe it's... appropriate."

The reason she's not being let in suddenly clicks in her brain.

She _hates_ it when this happens.

It hasn't been that often in recent years, but the fact her parents were part of the not-insignficant group of Mist refugee's that had moved here during the hardships was still a bone of contention to many. Some saw them as taking up resources that were rightfully Leaf citizens, some believed they were sleeper agents for the Mist, some just didn't like those who were 'outsiders', many certainly didn't agree with the kids like Tenten and Lee being allowed to train as Leaf-nin.

She still remembers Neji's initial reaction when he had been put on a team with two Mist-refugee kids and a Mist-refugee sensei...

So the Aburame clan have the same view as the Hyuuga huh? She should have somehow expected that, all the big clans were the damn same.

"If you have something to relay to the Heir about your mission, you may leave a message for him at the Hokage's Tower. He will pick it up."

With a frown she refuses to drop her gaze, trying hard not to let the weight of this man's contempt settle on her.

"Look just tell him I was here okay?"

She's pretty sure he won't. She's been here three times in the last week and asked the same thing.

Or...a small part of her whispers... maybe he has. Maybe Shino is avoiding her delibrately, now he's back with his clan, maybe he's started to see her in the same way...

_No_.

She knows Shino isn't like that. Or at least ...she really hopes he's not.


	23. Chapter 23

Ah a quick update! Very unusual I know :P

He runs into her on the street.

It's accidental, he has given up moodily shadowing her every move nearly a week ago, chosing instead to spend any free time he has wrapped in increasingly downcast thoughts, alone, in his room.

Then suddenly, he turns a corner and she's there... just _there_... close enough to touch.

For a long moment they simply stare at each other.

She challenges him in that characteristic fashion of hers, chin tilted up, not backing down.

His own feelings reflects back at him in her brown eyes—the hurt, the anger and feeling of abandonment—

Without thinking about it he grabs her arm, making sure she can't run.

He can feel her stiffen, even through her arm, but she has made no serious effort to get away. He knows he should let go of her, but he can't seem to make his fingers loosen their grip.

"...Tenten..."

"I told you not to ignore me!"

Her glare is fierce, her words rising in volume till she is practically shouting. He is aware they are attracting attention and perhaps it would be better if he was not seen restraining her like this...awkward questions could be asked.

"You are the one who ignored me..."

And here he is, after she has made her lack of interest abundantly clear, clinging to her like the...delusional idiot he is.

His shoulders sag and his grip loosens, till he is just gently holding her wrist...the merest twitch of her hand and she would be free of him.

"I apologise if I have misconstrued our relationship as something other than it is ..."

His words trail off again, and frustrated he wishes he had more elegance with words, that he could wield them even the slightest bit as skillfully as he does his kikkai.

"I thought..."

He whispers his words, hating himself for sounding so weak.

A hand slides along his shoulder, coming up behind him to rest against his neck and unexpectedly he feels the weight of Tenten's head resting against his chest. Her other arm slides around him until both are cluching at the fabric of his overjacket.

"You were avoiding me because you thought... I didn't want you."

There is a strange note of relief in her voice and she leans into him a little more as she whispers,

"You're an idiot."

His own hands come up tentatively to rest on her shoulders, then he pulls her closer. People will undoubtably still be watching, there will perhaps be even more awkward questions asked of this little scene but he cannot bring himself to care, cannot fight against the giddy thrill that seems to be surging through him as she embraces him so tightly, so...publically. In this moment Shino's universe narrows down to the places her skin touches his skin and the thudding of his own heart in his ears.

"Yes. I am."


End file.
